EU looks at crime prevention

Leaders set objectives for nation cooperation

Published: Sunday, October 17, 1999

TAMPERE, Finland {AP} Looking for more weapons to fight crime in the new, borderless Europe, European Union leaders set out new objectives Saturday for closer police and judicial cooperation between countries.

Ending their two-day summit in this lakeside Finnish city, EU leaders agreed to develop a broad range of measures that would allow better cooperation among police forces, ease extradition of criminals, recognize judicial decisions made in other member countries, and crack down on money laundering and trafficking in people and drugs.

The objectives are also aimed at getting a better handle on immigrants and asylum seekers. There are almost no border controls between the 15 nations in the European Union.

EU leaders also agreed to establish a European asylum system that would include common standards for procedures, conditions for reception of asylum seekers and rules on refugee status.

The leaders also reached a consensus on starting membership negotiations with six additional countries next year, possibly enlarging the European Union as early as 2003.

They backed away, however, from establishing a special fund of $265 million to assist member states facing a mass influx of refugees.

They also shied away from any hint of making their laws and systems uniform.

An early draft of the summit's concluding document contained much more ambitious wording about bringing laws and procedures in EU countries into "approximation." As in many areas of EU cooperation, when it comes down to the crunch for surrendering sovereignty or national individuality, nations hesitate.

The organization started membership negotiations last year with Cyprus, Estonia, Slovenia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

In a statement, EU leaders said Saturday they deeply regret the U.S. Senate's vote not to ratify the nuclear test ban treaty because "this sends the wrong signal to would-be nuclear proliferators."